Fort Leonard Wood is growing again, and this time it's the Missouri Army National Guard breaking ground Sept. 12 for the 140th Regiment, Missouri Regional Training Institute's new 53,251 square-foot facility.
The new $18 million facility will contain 11 state-of-the-art classrooms, an auditorium, a multipurpose room, administrative and support areas.
"It's been a long, lengthy project. It's reflective of the legislative support and assistance that we've had over the years," said Col. David Shaul, 140th Regiment commander.
The 140th RTI received recognition as an Institution of Excellence, the highest accreditation level possible, by the U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command in May 2012.
"The vision provided by (Maj. Gen. Steve) Danner, Adjutant General of Missouri, and the great cooperation from our friends here at Fort Leonard Wood, whom over the years we've been able to perform a very solid, positive relationship," Shaul said.
According to Maj. Jeffrey Ford, Headquarters 140th Regiment supply officer, the regiment trains and develops more than 1,500 Soldiers per year.
"The mission of the 140th regiment, Missouri Regional Training Institute, is to instruct officer candidate school, warrant officer candidate school, and military occupational specialty training courses for military police, engineer and transportation career management fields," Ford said. "It also instructs ordinance and maintenance military occupational military training and non-commissioned officer education course through the Reserve training site maintenance.
"Finally the Missouri RTI provides pre-mobilization training to deploying Missouri National Guard units and other functional training events," he added.
On hand to break-ground were John Shank, KCI construction; Dr. Rebecca Johnson, deputy to the Commanding General of Fort Leonard Wood; Maj. Gen. Steve Danner, Adjutant General of Missouri; Mayor George Sanders, city of Saint Robert and Col. David Shaul, 140th Regiment commander.
The new facility has an estimated completion date of fall 2015.
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